N Scale KATO Track Tips

[chaz]

This topic is open to any and all who have a way to make it easier to use KATO N scale track.

To add your own tip, reply to any of the messages and change the subject to

Tip #n plus a few words about the tip.

Chaz

[chaz]

The natural grid when creating Kato N scale layouts is 62mm.  The natural straight pieces are multiples of 62mm.  62, 124, 186 and 248mm.  All the other straights help you keep your layout on-grid.

Let's assume that you are building a small, 4-track double-ended yard with a 15 degree bend in the middle using the #4 turnouts.

First, when you purchase a 20-220 or 20-221 #4 turnout, they come with two 60mm straight pieces with the roadbed trimmed.  In AnyRail, these are S60L and S60R.  The S60L connects to the left leg of the turnout and S60R connects to the right leg of the turnout.  You have to use one or the other...or trim the roadbed back on another piece.

Second, the straight leg of the #4 turnouts is 126mm.  So adding a 60mm straight track keeps the top track of the yard, on-grid.  126+60=186.  The subsequent tracks in the yard are increasingly off-grid by 2mm.  So you have to use 20-030, 64mm straight pieces to get back on-grid.  Use one on track#2, use two on tracks #3 and #4.

Third, when all four tracks are on-grid, you can add the 15 degree curves.  To finish the yard, I copy and paste the yard throat from the left to the right.

I flipped the second yard throat before I connected it to the right side of the yard.

[chaz]

Although the natural grid for designing KATO N scale track is 62mm, the natural track-to-track spacing is 33mm.  The math is pretty easy.  One or more 33mm crossings plus one or more 29mm and 45.5mm straights.

33mm + 29mm = 62mm
16.5mm (33mm/2) + 45.5mm = 62mm
33mm + 45.5mm + 45.5mm = 124mm
33mm + 33mm + 29mm + 29mm = 124mm

Of course these are also sometimes handy to close odd spaces when the design gets off grid.

[chaz]

It is possible to close any loop using two KATO 20-050 extendable straight pieces.  These can extend to any length between 78mm and 108mm.

One of the factors that makes KATO track easy to use, is that every curved track is either 15, 30 or 45 degrees.  In addition, both the #4 and #6 turnouts are 15 degree turnouts.  That is, you can always close a loop with almost any radius curve...as long as everything adds up to 180 degrees.

[chaz]

The Tao of N Gauge KATO Unitrack

Taoism is a philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony with the Tao, the source, spirit and existence  of life.  In this paper, I present how to live in harmony with the source, spirit and existence of N gauge KATO Unitrack.

This is a summary of what I've learned while working with N gauge KATO Unitrack.  Much of this is very obvious...but it took me a long time to learn.  Maybe somebody else can benefit from my experience.

This is my design philosophy and it is quite different from designing with flex track.  For example, cutting track, required when working with flex track...is seldom, if ever, done with KATO Unitrack.

I find it easier to build a large layout out of small sections.  For example, I create the point work for each industry, yard and station, in it's most compact form, and save them as separate layouts.  I create everything with parallel tracks, "on-grid".  When these small sections are integrated into the large layout, I fully expect to rotate, expand, and bend the track work as required to make it more interesting and prototypical.  Easy, when the parallel tracks in a small section are on-grid.  Very frustrating when they are not.  I only add straights and curves to the parallel tracks, where every track is on-grid.  As long as everything is on-grid, it's easy extend and bend and connect all the small sections tegether.

The Horizontal Grid is 62mm

The horizontal grid is 62mm because the length of all the regular straight pieces are multiples of 62mm.    62, 124, 186 and 248mm.  The other straight pieces are designed to get you back on grid.  The 60mm and 64mm straight pieces are specifically designed to be used with the #4 turnouts.  The 29mm and 45.5 straight pieces are specifically designed to be used with the 33mm, 90 degree crossing.  Of course, these pieces are also handy to have around, but I find them hard to use most of the time....and I don't like a layout with lots of little pieces in it.

The Primary Vertical Track-to-Track Spacing is 33mm

The primary vertical track-to-track spacing is 33mm because the #4 turnouts and the radius of all the standard curved tracks are spaced 33mm apart.  If you keep your track-to-track spacing at 33mm and on-grid, you can bend a 4 track mainline or yard anyway you want.

The Secondary Vertical Track-to-Track Spacing is 49.5mm

The secondary vertical track-to-track spacing is 49.5mm because the #6 turnouts and the 15 degree crossings work well on this grid, however, bending parallel tracks is a little tricky.  Since the radius of the standard curved tracks is not spaced 49.5mm apart, you will have to  know how to connect converging tracks with the 78mm to 108mm extendable straight pieces.

The Radial Grid is 15 Degrees

The radial grid is 15 degrees because all the curved tracks are multiples of 15 degrees and all the turnouts are 15 degree.  No matter what you do, you can't get off the radial grid.  This is a very good thing because it means that you can connect any two converging tracks together using the 78mm to 108mm extendable straight pieces.  Of course the entire layout can be rotated a few degrees after you are done.

Connecting Converging Tracks

I use the 78mm to 108mm extendable straight pieces to connect converging tracks.  I extend the converging track with straight pieces until they cross.  I select the curved pieces I want to use and place them over the track extensions until they align.  I then remove the extensions and build out to the curved pieces, finishing with a piece of 78mm to 108mm extendable straight.  A 29mm or 45.5mm straight piece is often used with the 78mm to 108mm extendable straight pieces.

[xrunner]

Good write-up. I found out a lot of that on my own, it's not like they have a good manual on these details. One thing Kato needs to make is a longer section of track than 282mm. Really need a double or even triple of that one. But all-in-all I have designed a very nice layout with Unitrack.

Here's another weird thing I don't understand - when you mate 2 pieces of track, the ties at the ends "double-up" making a wider tie. Shouldn't the ties at the ends of the track pieces be 1/2 tie in width, so it looks like one full tie instead of two when you join track?

Also, it may be of interest to Unitrack/DCC users - if you don't want the #6 turnouts to switch track power I have an internal fix for that, I have modded all 22 of my #6 turnouts like this, see my post here -

Kato #6 wiring fix